Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-04-07
A MEDICAL SENSATION.
Discovery of Cure for Consumption
Some Astonishing Results Ac-
oomplished.
Injections of Carbonic Acid Gas Said I
BE Sovereign Remedy for the
Disease.
From the Philadelphia Record

"
awakened more interest on the part of
physicians than the system of treat
ment of phthisis which is now being
given q trial at the PHILADELPHIA Hos
pital by Physician in-chief Il. N. Nc
Laughlin, assisted ty Drs. +. L. Bru-
which is simply rectal injections of car
homie acid gas is not original with DIR
Mclaughlin, although he is the first to
give it trial in this country, but is the
result of experiments made years ago
by Claude Bernard, an eminent French
physician. DIR. Bernard experimental
with lower animals, and found
that gases which were known
to be poisonous when inhaled
produced no injurious results when in
troduced into the intestines. Beyond
this point his Investigations were not
carried; but few years ago Professor
Bergeron, of Lyons. commenced
series of experiments to ascertain the
effects of various gases thus intro
duced into the human system. In the
course of his Investigations he found
that certain gases applied through the
rectum produced marked results in
persons suffering from phthisis or con-
sumption. Pefore announcing this dis
covery he made it the subject of care
full study for two years, experimenting
upon numerous patients, and not only
found that carbonic-acid gas, when
properly introduced into the intestines,
had beneficial effect upon the patient,
but also had the satisfaction of effect
fnrp in
of consumption. Last August Profess
sor Bergeron embodied the results of
his Investigations in paper which was
read before the Academy of Sciences
in Paris. His discovery was received
with incredulity by many and with ridi-
cule by more, but the physicians in the
Paris hospitals began experiments in
the line indicated by Professor Rer-
geron with results similar to those OBJ
tanned by him.
A few months ago DR.. Mclaughlin
read of the marvellous accomplishments
of the French physicians and determ-
ined to make test of the system in
the treatment of some of the patients
under his charge. Accordingly he pre-
pared the necessary apparatus, and
asked a number OF patients in the adj
vanced stages of phthisis if they were
willing to undergo the treatment, being
assured that it would not be in the
least harmful, and might prove very
more aggravated sufferers availed
themselves of the treatment, but as
the wonderful results became manifest
many others requested to be placed
under the same treatment. The 10th
day of February and the few days fol-
lowing all other medical treatment of
the subjects was entirely stopped and
no remedy but carbonic-acid gas was
administered.
The method of administering the gas
is very simple, and when properly fol-
lowed produces no pain in the patient
and but little Inconvenience. The APP
paratus used by Drs. Mclaughlin,
Bruen and Taylor is exceedingly sim
pie, consisting of rubber gas-bag of a
capacity of four or five gallons and a
Woulf bottle, such as is used by chem
lists for washing or saturating gases,
and the necessary connections of rub
Der tubing. The flask is filled with
hot water bearing in solution sodium
chloride and sodium sulphide in the
proportion of five grains of each to
twenty-four ounces of water. The rub
ber bag is filled with gaseous carbonic
acid and connected by tubing with the
bottle in such way that pressure up
on the bag will force its contents
through the liquid and thence through
rubber fitted with syringe tube. BY
pressure upon the bag the gas is forced
into the intestines. The pressure is
carefully regulated so as not to pro-
duce any pain in the patient, and the
whole operation lasts but ten to twenty
minutes.
The treatment of the chosen patients
has been continued regularly since
Feb. 10, from one to five pints of the
gas being administered to each subject
twice daily, and with results thus far
but little short of miraculous. One of
the most interesting cases is that of a
man about 48 years of age, who has been
sick for about nineteen months. Feb.
10, when he was put under the gas
treatment, he was so weak as to be un-
able to turn around in bed, and so
emaciated that his bones nearly pro-
truded through his skin. He was un-
able to reta n nourishment of any sort,
was continually covered with cold,
clammy perspiratioD, and had an al
most incessant cough which caused in
tense pain in the chest. He was so far
gone that the phy s C ans said he would
not live forty-eight hours. When seen
yesterday after six weeks treatment,
he sat up in led and said that he had
been up and about the ward, and that
he had not had a sweat for two weeks.
II is appel te was good, he said, and his
food caused him no trouble. He rest
ed we'll at night, his cough had almost
entirely disappeared, and with 1t the
pains in his chest.
Another interesting case is that of
man who has been suffering from
phthisis for two years. and had been
under treatment in the hospital for
three months, during which time he
had not left his bed. His general symp-
toms were similar to those of the pa
tent above mentioned Gas was first
administered to him Feb. 13. One
month later he walked down three
flights of stairs, to be weighed, and
climbed back to his ward afterward.
After another week he again made the
trip, and his weight showed gain OF
three pounds during the week. Yester-
day he was walking about in the hos
pital, and said that he felt very much
better and stronger.
There are some twenty odd cases in
the hospital under the same treatment,
and all have shown equally remarkable
sroprovomonk